Nov 18, 2009 - 10:05 pm .- Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who was Karol Wojtyla’s personal secretary for 40 years, is visiting Argentina this week to speak about the life of the late Pontiff and his cause of beatification.

Nov 18, 2009 - 06:32 pm .- The Archdiocese of Washington’s announcement that services would have to be cut if the District of Columbia City Council recognizes same-sex “marriage” without religious exemptions was not a “threat” or “ultimatum” but a simple recognition of the policy’s consequences, the Archbishop of Washington said in an opinion essay in the Washington Post.

Nov 18, 2009 - 04:27 pm .- On Tuesday, a motion from Bishop Donald Trautman of Erie, Penn. to reject the new liturgical translations failed to garner sufficient votes from the U.S. bishops. The prelates went on to approve the new liturgical texts which will be implemented in the U.S. beginning in 2010.

Nov 18, 2009 - 03:59 pm .- During this week's Fall General Assembly, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved revision guidelines for medically assisted nutrition and hydration, particularly for patients in a vegetative state.

Nov 18, 2009 - 03:51 pm .- The Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano (LOR) published several articles in its November 17 edition which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the movie “Ben Hur.” The film, which was released on November 18, 1959 and starred Charlton Heston, became the first movie to receive 11 Oscar awards.

Nov 18, 2009 - 03:41 pm .- The U.S. bishops have approved a document regarding the moral use of reproductive technologies for couples struggling with infertility yet desire to have children. The document, titled “Life-Giving Love in an Age of Technology,” examines the procreative and unitive aspects of marriage which lead to the creation of children, and analyzes how technology can be used to assist infertile couples.

Nov 18, 2009 - 02:06 pm .- At the conclusion of their Plenary Assembly at the Shrine of Fatima, the bishops of Portugal stated that any form of euthanasia, or any “action or omission that, by its nature or intentions, provokes death,” is unacceptable.

Nov 18, 2009 - 02:00 pm .- On the final day of their annual meeting, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published a pastoral letter on marriage titled “Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan,” which restates and clarifies the Church's teachings to empower those seeking to defend marriage against the cultural currents of cohabitation, contraception, divorce and same sex unions.

Nov 18, 2009 - 11:11 am .-
In his catechesis to the 8,000 present during Wednesday's general audience, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of "the glory of the Christian Middle Ages," the Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals. He described how the early Christians' medieval structures reveal their faith and glorify the Lord.

Nov 18, 2009 - 10:37 am .- In a recent talk to the priests of his diocese, Bishop John D'Arcy spoke on the importance of priests remaining faithful to the Church's teachings on sexual morality and urged them to be courageous in their efforts.

Nov 18, 2009 - 03:44 am .- Invoking the example of St. Monica, a British bishop and a woman leading a mother’s prayer group program have invited all Catholics and especially Catholic mothers to pray for those who are removed from parish life.